Hubbard celebrates last Ash Wednesday Masses as Bishop of Albany

Hubbard celebrates last Ash Wednesday Masses as Bishop of Albany

ALBANY >> Hundreds of area Catholics lined up to have outgoing Bishop Howard Hubbard mark their foreheads with ashes in the sign of the cross during his final Ash Wednesday Masses as head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.

He celebrated his first Mass of the day in the morning at La Salle Institute in Troy, followed by an afternoon Mass across the Hudson River at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany.

In Albany, attendees clapped for Hubbard as he walked down the aisle after Mass with his pastoral staff wearing his purple Lenten vestments. Hubbard shook hands with everyone as they filed out of the cathedral.

“We have come here to be marked with the sign of the cross,” Hubbard proclaimed during his second Mass of the day.

However, there were no ashes on his face. “I’m the only one in the cathedral that doesn’t have ashes on my forehead,” Hubbard said as the service came to a close. “It’s not that I don’t need them; It’s just that I forgot.”

In his homily, the bishop encouraged his followers to honor the sacred and solemn season of Lent in the three traditional manners: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. He suggested sacrifices of consumerism, harboring sensitivity toward the environment and devoting time to volunteer work, among others.

Hubbard acknowledged that the world is in “an age of secularism and scientism,” though he hopes the holy period of Lent may alter people’s priorities.

Parishioner Paul Twardy agreed that “It’s a critical time for all Christians.”

Above all, Hubbard urged listeners “to slow down and reflect on how well we are living the Christian life,” in order to arrive at the Easter feast 40 days later “with minds, hearts and spirits truly renewed.”

Hubbard, 75, is the ninth and longest tenured bishop of the Albany Diocese, serving for 36 years. By papal law, all bishops must submit their resignation letter when they turn 75, which he did last fall.

A Troy native, Hubbard graduated from La Salle Institute before going on to attend seminary in Albany and Yonkers. It was while still working on the streets of Albany’s South End that Hubbard was appointed bishop of the diocese. On March 27, 1977, at age 38, Hubbard became the youngest bishop in the country. Last year, the diocese celebrated his 50 years in the priesthood.

His last official day on duty will be April 10, when his successor, Rev. Msgr. Edward B. Scharfenberger of Brooklyn, will be ordained and installed as Albany’s tenth bishop. Scharfenberger is 65 years old.

Kathryn Leary of Albany, a fan of the current bishop, said she attended the service because she knew it would be his last Ash Wednesday Mass. “It was very nice,” she said. “I enjoyed the homily, I thought it was really good.”

“It’s always a privilege to come to this Mass, because the bishop is here, and he always gives the best homily. He’ll be missed,” Twardy said.